San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1887-04-21
Temperance Sketch.
Written for the FREE PREss.
TOM BUTLER.

ranksy" i SAID 10 my Old college chum
whom was visiting, after our courses In
life had separated us for some ten years.
VIM. Lyle, my host, had made his mari
In the world land was well to-do;) as hi
standing at college had foreshadowed HI
might. But was not prepared to heal
that he had swung around, so as TO favol
the suppression Of the liquor traffic, which
he had just informed me was the case.
As remembered him at college, he wal
a manly, light hearted and rather dashinR
young fellow, who loved every kind Of spor'
into which he entered with vim.
And he was prominent by the liberality
Of his views, which was uncommon In one
of his age. While adhering strictly to the
line of conduct he thought right, he be-
lieved every other person had the right tc
differ with him, and to act out his own sal
walton, or the contrary, as suited him, the
said other person.
Thought he had not been lightly swayed
in the matter, 30 said: "Tell me how you
became converted"
"Well," he replied, ''if you feel inclined
to hear sad tale, will. You remembe,
Tom Bullerp What capital fellow he wasl
I have seldom met q more pleasant com
panion, or heard q truer, ringing laugh, and
he developed into high. minded, progress
i've man. He studied low-that you know
--and married Miss Coats"
"You did not know he was married. And
who was Miss or"
~."You may take my word for It, he was
married, for was there; and very splen
did wedding It was. Miss O., was old Johr
Goats only daughter. J. O, the wealth,
broker. made his money on the fall IN
Reading and she was married to Tom, or
account of his standing.
"You know he belonged to an influential
family, was handsome and had abilities
which promised to carry him to the top Of
the ladder. SO she could make no reasona-
BILE objections to having him, If she wished
! to.
don't think she cared for him at all, bui
you know what family influence on q girl
can be, and hers was determined she should
marry Tom.
He was Just starting on good practice,
was enthused with his profession, aud, as
he admired, If he did not love Miss O., had
no objection to carrying off the belle of the
season; with handsomely furnished house
and $50, 600 thrown in. All OF which would
materially forward him at the bar.
OF course the newly married couple en-.
tertained handsomely, and ''ail went merry
as marriage bell, i" for awhile.
drank many glass of good champagne
there, my boy, and did not forget that he
had entertained me, when trouble came on
the poor fellow.
"Well9" 1 said; for Lyle had fallen into a
brown study.
"Yes," said he, IL was thinking that
champagne was at the brim Of his cup, and
bad whisky at the bottom. 1t is empty
now."
Looking musingly into the fire, he con-
tinued ''They were handsome couple;
but no strong tic bound them together, and
she broke what there was.
Just az Tom was becoming prominent in
his profession, she went to Europe without
consulting him. And Stein went in the
same ship.
Then poor Tom cxemplifed the fact, that
while man may drink good wine, and hold
his own under happy circumstances, he is
planting seed, which will, under adversely,
grow up to choke out all the good in him.
do not think that Tom would have be-
come drunkard under happier skies, but
who can tell what clouds the winds of
heaven may bring over himY And it does
not lessen his fault, that his wife had done
wrong.
At first he appeared to try TO attend TO
his business, while he avoided, as far as
possible, his better friends, and essayod 10
drown his wounded feelings in drink.
While he kept some practice, and had
money, which he spet freely, he had plenty
of fast friends, of cource, not the kind of
fast friends you and I would have been.
But when his clients became afraid TO trust
their affairs in his hands, and the poor fel-
low had fallen 80 low he would accept treat
from anyone; then, indeed, be became soil
tary.
Next poverty punched, and he fell into
practice, which he would previously have
hardly allowed existed, and, soon got mixed
up in case of suborned witnesses.
He was stricken from the list of attorn-
eys and tine end was not long In coming.
I picked him up from the gutter one cold,
winters night. and could only tell at first,
that the bundle Of rags was q living being.
I finally made out that IL was Tom, and had
him carried TO his lodging and cared for, but
he died the next day.
In five short years saw one Of the most
promising young men ever knew, dragged
down by liquor until he was beast Yes,
not beastly but a bddst, with only q trace Of
his former manhood left
Oldened fifty years Of healthful life which
should have produced good fruit. be left
only shame and disgrace behind him.
That Is the picture see whenever the
question comes up. and below
Il il written rum, RUIZ" Then he blazod
forth "Do you marvel, that having seen
this beautiful temple fall 10 helpless ruin,
through an agent much more destructive
than the oxygen which vould have turned
Il 10 dust, In natures proper course, aud
that its fall Jared not itsef alone, should
.ay viii not only avoid the fatal fluid
myself but I vii do what can TO obiiter-
afe H.
'sYou think my language sweeping
md viii concede that spirits may be good
Medicine on rare occasions," replied ny
friend 10 the few words I veuturad IN favor
of the non-obliterntion Of distilled SPIRITS.
but say. with WA. (my illus,rious name
saksl Throw phyie 70 the dogS,' 'De4uiae
especially this-cease b turn good corn and
re into whisky, AMI tie poor man's takls
an never lark trsad-
God spars ne the tboaEht. VIM ny day
! done. thsf a aon q mIns might cone %
uoo- Ton BuDer's sni. n 9. Dun.H-
c.TaRRH crHFD. h..,h nd s-.ss